A daughter of King Dagobert II of Germany, St. Adele became a nun upon the death of her husband, making provisions for her son, the future father of St. Gregory of Utrecht. She founded a convent at Palatiolum near Trier and became its first Abbess, ruling with holiness, prudence, and compassion. St. Adele seems to have been among the disciples of St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany,

The Lord summons heaven and earth to witness his judgment upon his people.

Psalm 50

Genuine love of God

I have come not to abolish the law but to bring it to perfection in myself.

(Matthew 5:17)

I

The God of gods, the Lord,

has spoken and summoned the earth,

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion's perfect beauty he shines.

Our God comes, he keeps silence no longer.

Before him fire devors,

around him tempest rages.

He calls on the heavens and the earth

to witness his judgment of his people.

"Summon before me my people

who made covenant with me by sacrifice."

The heavens proclaim his justice,

for God himself is the judge.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

- as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

Antiphon 1

The Lord summons heaven and earth to witness his judgment upon his people.

Antiphon 2

Come to me in your distress and I will save you.

II

"Listen, my people, I will speak;

Israel, I will testify against you,

for I am God, your God.

I accuse you, lay the charge before you.

I find no fault with your sacrifices,

your offerings are always before me.

I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,

nor goats from among your herds.

For I own all the beasts of the forest,

beasts in their thousands on my hills.

I know all the birds in the sky,

all that moves in the field belongs to me.

Were I hungry, I would not tell you,

for I own the world and all it holds.

Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God

and render him your votive offerings.

Call on me in the day of distress.

I will free and you shall honor me."

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

- as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

Antiphon 2

Come to me in your distress and I will save you.

Antiphon 3

A sacrifice of praise will give me glory.

III

But God says to the wicked:

"But how can you recite my commandments

and take my covenant on my lips,

you who despise my law

and throw my words to the winds,

you who see a thief and go with him;

who throw in your lot with adulterers,

who unbridle your mouth for evil

and whose tongue is plotting crime,

you who sit and malign your brother

and slander your own mother’s son.

You do this , and should I keep silence?

Do you think that I am like you?

Mark this, you who never think of God,

lest I seize you and you cannot escape;

a sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me

and I will show God’s salvation to the upright."

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

- as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

Psalm Prayer:

Father, because Jesus, your servant, became obedient even unto death, his sacrifice was greater than all holocausts of old. Accept the sacrifice of praise we offer you through him and may we show the effects of it in our lives by striving to do your will until our whole life becomes adoration in Spirit and truth.